Best Jobs For Humanities Majors by Salary Potential
You’ve earned your humanities degree. Now what? Browse these common jobs for humanities majors by earning potential.
| Rank | Job Title | Most Common Major | % Workers with Major | Mid-Career Pay | % High Job Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank:1 | Job Title:Proposal Manager | Most Common Major:English Literature | % Workers with Major:26% | Mid-Career Pay:$87,700 | % High Job Meaning:50% |
| Rank:2 | Job Title:Content Marketing Manager | Most Common Major:English Literature | % Workers with Major:29% | Mid-Career Pay:$77,300 | % High Job Meaning:31% |
| Rank:3 | Job Title:Content Strategist | Most Common Major:English Literature | % Workers with Major:22% | Mid-Career Pay:$72,600 | % High Job Meaning:39% |
| Rank:4 | Job Title:Director of Development | Most Common Major:English Literature | % Workers with Major:21% | Mid-Career Pay:$72,300 | % High Job Meaning:92% |
| Rank:5 | Job Title:Technical Writer | Most Common Major:English Literature | % Workers with Major:19% | Mid-Career Pay:$69,600 | % High Job Meaning:49% |
| Rank:6 | Job Title:Proposal Writer | Most Common Major:English Language & Literature | % Workers with Major:16% | Mid-Career Pay:$68,200 | % High Job Meaning:53% |
| Rank:7 | Job Title:Sign Language Interpreter | Most Common Major:American Sign Language Interpreting | % Workers with Major:43% | Mid-Career Pay:$68,000 | % High Job Meaning:- |
| Rank:8 | Job Title:Managing Editor | Most Common Major:English Literature | % Workers with Major:37% | Mid-Career Pay:$67,400 | % High Job Meaning:40% |
| Rank:9 | Job Title:Writer | Most Common Major:English Literature | % Workers with Major:24% | Mid-Career Pay:$65,500 | % High Job Meaning:57% |
| Rank:10 | Job Title:Content Manager | Most Common Major:English Literature | % Workers with Major:21% | Mid-Career Pay:$65,100 | % High Job Meaning:44% |
| Rank:11 | Job Title:Copywriter | Most Common Major:English Literature | % Workers with Major:25% | Mid-Career Pay:$61,600 | % High Job Meaning:24% |
| Rank:12 | Job Title:Web Content Editor | Most Common Major:English Literature | % Workers with Major:26% | Mid-Career Pay:$60,600 | % High Job Meaning:47% |
| Rank:13 | Job Title:Publications Editor | Most Common Major:English Literature | % Workers with Major:29% | Mid-Career Pay:$59,600 | % High Job Meaning:41% |
| Rank:14 | Job Title:Grant Writer | Most Common Major:English Literature | % Workers with Major:27% | Mid-Career Pay:$58,100 | % High Job Meaning:96% |
| Rank:15 | Job Title:Fundraising Manager | Most Common Major:English Literature | % Workers with Major:18% | Mid-Career Pay:$57,700 | % High Job Meaning:81% |
| Rank:16 | Job Title:Web Content Specialist | Most Common Major:English Literature | % Workers with Major:25% | Mid-Career Pay:$56,100 | % High Job Meaning:32% |
| Rank:17 | Job Title:Proofreader | Most Common Major:English Literature | % Workers with Major:25% | Mid-Career Pay:$55,900 | % High Job Meaning:51% |
| Rank:18 | Job Title:Content Writer | Most Common Major:English Literature | % Workers with Major:23% | Mid-Career Pay:$54,600 | % High Job Meaning:40% |
| Rank:19 | Job Title:Paralegal / Legal Assistant | Most Common Major:History | % Workers with Major:17% | Mid-Career Pay:$54,300 | % High Job Meaning:50% |
| Rank:20 | Job Title:Tutor | Most Common Major:English Literature | % Workers with Major:11% | Mid-Career Pay:$50,600 | % High Job Meaning:85% |
| Rank:21 | Job Title:Secondary School Teacher | Most Common Major:History | % Workers with Major:24% | Mid-Career Pay:$50,100 | % High Job Meaning:89% |
| Rank:22 | Job Title:Pastor | Most Common Major:Bible Studies & Theology | % Workers with Major:11% | Mid-Career Pay:$50,000 | % High Job Meaning:96% |
| Rank:23 | Job Title:Middle School Teacher | Most Common Major:History | % Workers with Major:22% | Mid-Career Pay:$49,700 | % High Job Meaning:82% |
| Rank:24 | Job Title:News Reporter | Most Common Major:English Literature | % Workers with Major:18% | Mid-Career Pay:$49,600 | % High Job Meaning:62% |
| Rank:25 | Job Title:Editorial Assistant | Most Common Major:English Literature | % Workers with Major:29% | Mid-Career Pay:$47,500 | % High Job Meaning:61% |
Students who pick a bachelors in humanities (English, history, sociology, foreign languages, etc.) are known for their sharp analytical skills, but how does a nuanced understanding of nineteenth-century literature translate into a paycheck once you’re out of college? A bachelor’s in humanities offers a number of career paths that require right brain thinking and have high earning potential. Creativity and critical thinking skills are valuable assets to many employers, especially when supplemented with additional technical skills or training.
A surprising number of Senior Marketing Directors hold a bachelor’s degree in English Literature. With a median mid-career salary of more than $100,000, that’s a good argument to use against anybody who says English is a waste of time. Other popular, high-paying jobs popular with English majors are Executive Editor, Content Strategist, Editorial Director, and Senior Technical Writer.
Just because your degree is in the humanities, it doesn’t mean that you should never set foot in the computer science department. In fact, picking up a few tech skills can really pay off. For example, a Copywriter who aspires to work online, would, unsurprisingly, benefit from basic proficiency in blogging, HTML, or content management.
Other popular and profitable positions for humanities majors that benefit from some familiarity with a computer include Content Marketing Manager, Web Producer, and Content Strategist.